Oscar Preview 2016

It's that time of year, when cinema fans around the world tune in to either watch the multi-millionaire celebrities pat themselves on the backs, or watch for what the host will say or do to embarrass them. This year there is the racial controversy as all 20 actors are white. Granted, five of the ten men are British, and four of the ten women as well (and one Swede). I will say that of the possible replacement nominees, I see only Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation) or Michael B. Jordan (Creed) as the only deserving nominees. I don't however see any candidates that don't deserve their nomination, so racist or not, I think the nominations are fair. As is my custom, I only make my prognostications about the "Big 6" as well as the Writing and full- feature Documentary categories. Without further ado, here is a professional film critic's guide to the Oscars.

Best Documentary - Amy has been getting all of the noise for its honest and heartbreaking look at the life and death of Amy Winehouse. Great as it was, I find myself more affected and moved by films about issues that are under-reported in the mainstream media. Cartel Land is suspenseful and raw. More than once the film makers come under fire as they show the increasingly despondent drug war from both sides of the border. Will win - Amy. Should win - Cartel Land.

Best Adapted Screenplay - Adapting a screenplay seems easy. It's definitely the lesser of the two writing categories, but no less important. This year The Martian and The Big Short are the two most compelling films on the list. The Martian was an epic sci-fi feel-good story, while The Big Short made sense of the housing crisis of 2008 by using a sardonic and comedic tone supported by an absolutely stellar cast. Will win - The Big Short. Should win - The Martian.

Best Original Screenplay - There are two films here who could take the prize, and either would honestly be deserving. Ex Machina was one of the most original and well-done thrillers in recent memory, but Spotlight was a harrowing look at the divide between the public Catholic Church, and the cancer that has been eating away at its integrity for years. Will win - Spotlight. Should win - Spotlight.

Best Supporting Actress - This will be the most disappointing win of the evening. Kate Winslet is receiving awards and rave reviews for her performance in Steve Jobs, but the reality is that the film was awful when considering the talent in the actors', writer's, and director's chairs. Winslet would be more apt to win a Tony for her performance, as the film could/should have been done on a Broadway stage. However, given multiple takes and great writing by Aaron Sorkin, her performance in Steve Jobs wouldn't even get her a nomination on the stage. Alicia Vikander delivers what is probably the most authentic performance of the bunch. Mara is too subtle and composed, and McAdams is in a ripe character surrounded by talent. Don't even get me started on the Hateful Eight. Will win - Kate Winslet. Should win - Alicia Vikander.

Best Supporting Actor - Always my favorite category of the evening, this is a strong group of men, but the momentum and affection for Rocky Balboa is just too strong of a tide to turn. The others give stellar performances worthy of nomination without a doubt, and I would say Tom Hardy is the next most deserving, but as often happens, Sylvester Stallone will be rewarded for his entire body of work that has culminated into his role in Creed. It is deserved, and is the best acting of his career. Will win - Sylvester Stallone. Should win - Sylvester Stallone.

Best Actress - This has been Brie Larson's year. Her depiction of a desperate mother ferociously fighting to protect her son is a shockingly touching story. She's the breakout star of the year and will be rewarded with a gold statue after cleaning up in the other awards shows. Will win - Brie Larson. Should win - Brie Larson.

Best Actor - I have been a fan of DiCaprio for a long time now, and he will finally get his due. Don't feel too sorry for the guy though, look at his laundry list of supermodel ex-girlfriends, and he's sitting on a small fortune of net worth, but his acting has long been snubbed. His performance in The Revenant will be very difficult for him to surpass, this may be the high point of his long and illustrious career. But don't count on that, he has a lot of years left in him. Will win - Leonardo DiCaprio. Should win - Leonardo DiCaprio.

Best Director - There are people who decry the idea that a director can win the award two years in a row. Why? Isn't this awards show supposed to give the award to the single best effort in each category for the year? It's hard to block out the background noise of history (see Sylvester Stallone), but this year, it will be a shame if anyone other than Alejandro Inarritu wins the Best Director statue. George Miller is visionary, yes, but Mad Max: Fury Road has its flaws in direction. It is frenetic and chaotic. Sloppy camera-work is amplified by fantastic stunt work and innovative costumes and characters. There are separate categories for this. The direction of The Revenant is beautiful and tragic. Expert and mesmerizing. Will win - Alejandro Innaritu. Should win - Alejandro Innaritu.

Best Picture - This category is interesting to me as Mad Max: Fury Road was given the credit it deserves in its surprising bevy of nominations. Bridge of Spies and Brooklyn are both overrated, and I would have liked to have seen Straight Outta Compton and Ex Machina get a bit more credit for the quality and boldness of their productions. However, this year it is The Revenant's to lose. My favorite film of the year is also the critics' darling, and it should receive the gold statue at the end of the night.

I predict only two undeserving victors in the evening: Kate Winslet, and the documentary Amy. It should be a pretty satisfying awards show, but you never know. Like with sports, anything can happen on any given day. Consider the people who vote. In my limited experience talking with Hollywood insiders, many of them are either not interested in films outside of their own areas of expertise, or don't watch all of the nominees. Big names can win over great performances at any time. Enjoy the show.

Race

Just in time for the 80th Anniversary of his historic and heroic feats of athleticism in the heart of Nazi Germany, it isn’t a moment too soon. This summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be more about the Zika virus and terrorism threats than about racism and fascism, but it makes perfect sense for “Race” to come out just before the athletes hit the track.

What Jesse accomplished in those Olympic games isn’t necessarily what I would consider an exceptional achievement. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been an Olympic athlete, so I’m not criticizing. There are numerous athletes who have reached their physical peak at the right time in their lives and have dominated their sport, earning them far more medals, championships, or accolades. Even in the American track and field pantheon of greatness, there was Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Flo-Jo, and more recently, Michael Johnson who come to mind. I leave out swimming and gymnastics legends because there are figuratively too many events to count (sorry Michael Phelps).

Stephan James plays Jesse Owens, a clean-cut, bright-eyed young man growing up in a rough and segregated part of Americana (Cleveland, OH) in the height of the Great Depression. His dad brought his family to Ohio in search of a better life than Alabama cotton-picking had given them. Turns out, Owens had a knack for running, and it got him onto the Ohio State University team where he was noticed by coach Larry Snyder. His talent takes him to the global stage in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, just before what we all know to be one of the greatest tragedies in history. The right place at the right time with the all-time most hated human on Earth rooting for him to fail and prove that the Aryan nation was somehow genetically superior. The late Mr. Owens proved Herr Hitler incorrect.
Jason Sudeikis plays the alcoholic, washed-up track coach effortlessly. When I was having drinks with him back in 2011 at the “Horrible Bosses” premiere after-party, I told him that he should leave this comedy business behind him, and try his hand at drama. In my experience, comedians often make for the most talented dramatic actors because of the range and sheer naked emotion that high quality comedy requires. He must have listened, and although it is hard to take him seriously in this particular role, give him some time and he’ll get there.

Stephen Hopkins (“Predator 2”, “Lost in Space”, “The Ghost and the Darkness”) directs what I would call a film that could be lined up and knocked down with little effort. Too bad Disney didn’t scoop this one up, they could have marketed it more strongly, release it a little closer to the actual games and made a fortune. Instead, it will be a mediocre film with average viewership.

Some of the things not mentioned about Owens in the film is that the highest honor in the sport, the Track and Field Athlete of the Year award, is named after him, and his 1935 University of Michigan meet has been called “the single greatest 45 minutes ever in sports” by numerous accounts. I think I would have liked that segment of the film to have been a little more drawn out. The film in its entirety is a bit too long, with the emphasis obviously on the Olympic games and the racial tension that crops its ugly head. It’s a lot like “Remember the Titans” in that regard, but “Race” tries to subdue the racism more than a typical film of this type would.

There aren’t any scenes that truly bring race into the picture, and I didn’t get choked up once, which is a sign that the film didn’t capitalize on the emotional charge that it should have. There were numerous stories untold within this story, so to me, it was just plain boilerplate. It is a great story worthy of telling, and some performances were appreciated (Could William Hurt be in it for more than three minutes please?) but it falls short in showing the real man behind the gold medals and the racial statement heard round the world. 6/10.

Deadpool

You can tell a lot about the tone of a film by the intro montage. And the music. When the opening credits use terms such as "the Hot Chick" and "British Villain" instead of names, you know you're in for an experience where the filmmakers have absolutely no illusions about their own self-importance. Especially when it is directed by "Overpaid douche bag" or something of that nature. Juice Newton's "Angel of the Morning" kicks us off with a pretty impressive stop-motion CGI, taking us through a car wreck with some sprinkles of pop culture homage (Ryan Reynolds' Sexiest Man Alive on People Magazine). We know right away that the film is going to be tongue-in-cheek with gratuitous language, violence, and humor. Okay, some of the humor isn't too gratuitous.

The Marvel universe is expanding faster than... well, the Universe? The addition of a new franchise to the X-Men side of the company (and it will be a franchise after making somewhere in the $250 million ballpark in its first weekend) increases the potential for an even larger collision than the Infinity War. This new brand of superhero (or anti-hero) opens a whole new market. R-rated, no-holds-barred violence and action. Sure, Deadpool used his trademark wisecracks to soften the feel, but the adult demographic targeting heroes and villains are coming, and they are coming soon. Captain America: Civil War threatens to be darker than the previous, as does X-Men: Apocalypse. Rumors cropped up this morning that the next (and last Jackman vehicle) Wolverine will have an R rating, which means his demise is not just inevitable, it's almost certain that he will be the first major superhero killed on screen (I did say major). DC Comics follow suit with Suicide Squad, which promises its own brand of darkness and just might spawn a new direction for the WB comics who have been playing pretty close to the Batman and Superman franchises for the past 25 years. Bravo for trying something new. I think it will pay off.

I digress. Back to Deadpool. Aside from Juice Newton, we get tastes of Wham!, Chicago, and Salt n' Peppa. Great musical accompaniment to what is to superheroes what gore porn was to the horror genre. Deadpool was born Wade Wilson. He's a potty-mouthed ex-special forces mercenary who trades cancer for mutant healing abilities in order to be with the one he loves. Played by Ryan Reynolds, he is revising (not reprising) his role in the abomination that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Duped into a sideshow medical experiment, he is now hunting the man who tricked him whilst figuring out how to get back into his lady's life, sans pretty face.

That pretty much sums up the film, although there are two lesser known X-Men (Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead) thrown in as the connective tissue to the franchise, so we are constantly reminded how badly they want him to be one of the good guys and play in their back yard. It's all in good fun as it's really about the slicing and dicing, and the non-stop vulgarities spewing out of Wade's mouth (behind the mask).

The film is directed by Tim Miller. An odd choice as you're probably saying, "Who?" I know, me too. Tim Miller is an Academy Award nominated short film director, and Deadpool is his first full length feature. Marvel has really been branching out with their directorial choices, and I commend them for sending out tendrils in all directions, capturing veterans and novices, broadening their reach into the industry as a whole. He takes a new approach (besides the R rating and humor) by breaking the fourth wall. Quite often in fact. Deadpool frequently speaks to the audience, which again, softens the tone and mood. TJ Miller as the comedic bartender BFF adds unnecessary comic relief

Ryan Reynolds must have had fun with this. He had been pining for this role and project for years, and was one of the major reasons it got green-lit in the first place. His performance in the Green Lantern back in 2011 was basically this character, censored and in a green suit. Deadpool doesn't have a filter. He doesn't need range to play Wade, as all of the fight scenes could truly be anyone under the red mask, and it's so chock full of CGI that it's entirely possible that he didn't have to do anything physical. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

The bad guy, Francis/Ajax is played by Brit Ed Skrein. He was in the last Transporter movie and had a stint on Game of Thrones. Not a bad job, but I was kind of hoping for a better villain. I don't follow the comics, but I know Deadpool has been around and partaken in some epic fights. That would have been nice, but maybe they're saving the real action for the sequel. Don't second guess Marvel. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland, GI Joe 2) shoot par for the course, but clearly had some fun with the insults and dialogue. Who wouldn't? Notably uncomfortable is a sequence where Wade has met the love of his life, and they are one-upping each other, bantering about how bad their childhoods were and who was subjected to more sheer disgust. It's the one scene I wished would have just gone on and on despite its devolving content. For a film like this, there is no line to cross; just making it crosses the line in many ways. They could have benefited from some stronger commitment to the inappropriateness that made this clever and original.

I liked Deadpool for its creativity and brazen approach to the genre. Reynolds has been better, but what do you expect from Ryan Reynolds? I mean seriously. Abs and jokes. Well, you get it here. I expect to see more of him in the coming years especially as the pool of characters gets deeper and more intertwined (Infinity War will be epic to say the least). See Deadpool if you like superheroes, just remember that it is rated R. 7/10.

Hail, Caesar!

The Coen Brothers have a style that is decidedly unique. Their lasting footprint on film ranges from Academy Awards winning dramas, to insanely brilliant screwball comedies, but the thing they all have in common is the visionary creativity in every single one of their pieces of work.

Actors and actresses clamber to work with the Coens, and for good reason. They have typically followed a pattern of serious fare followed by comedy, alternating year after year. They have recently forayed into the writing game without directing, with last year’s “Bridge of Spies”, and 2014’s “Unbroken” to their credit. But their bread and butter is writing, directing, and producing their own work. They are the type of Hollywood duo that you would love to sit down and have a beer with because they have earned the freedom to do their own projects without interference from the studios. 2007’s “No Country for Old Men” remains in my all-time top-ten list, and 1996’s “Fargo” isn’t far behind.

“Hail, Caesar!” follows a day in the life of a major Hollywood studio in 1951. Studio head Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) has to put out fires, while dealing with a kidnapping of his big action star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). He moves from set to set, dealing with the quirky characters who fit nicely into their pigeon-hole stereotypes, while carrying a massive over-active guilt that requires him to see his priest far too frequently.

It is light, breezy, but layered with sharp dialogue, and deep themes. The pacing moves quickly because of the interactions and musical numbers (think “Blazing Saddles”), and the plot beneath the plot contains just enough intrigue to keep you wondering what it’s all about. The great thing about their comedies is that there doesn’t need to be absolute resolution, because it’s the ride that matters. The substance is not within the storylines, but in the performances therein.

I don’t know if it’s the writing, the tone of the films, the self-deprecating nature of the characters, or the desire to simply create a gem, but the Coens evoke the best performances possible from their actors time and time again. Their films are simply star-making because the ripest, juiciest roles end up going to Hollywood unknowns, and they steal the show. In a cast with Clooney, Tatum, Brolin, Johannsson, and Tilda Swinton, the best part was a young man named Alden Ehrenreich. Alden plays Hobie Doyle, a Western actor with some difficulty delivering lines without his aw-shucks grin and his down-home accent. His conversation with director Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes) is perhaps the finest we have ever seen of Fiennes in his long and distinguished career.

“Hail, Caesar!” is not just a niche film for the fans of the Coens. It can be appreciated by a wider audience than is typical, and just might rejuvenate an interest in some of their earlier work as well. While admiring the stellar acting, pay attention to the camera-work as well, as they tend to use very unconventional approaches to much of their work. Much of the credit for that can be attributed to cinematographer and frequent Coen collaborator Roger Deakins, one of the most under-appreciated in his field (13 Oscar nominations, no wins).

See “Hail Caesar!” for some good, old-fashioned cinematic entertainment, but understand that there is more to the film than just the comedy. Although Channing Tatum’s sailor song and dance pretty much nails comedy as well as I’ve seen recently. You have to pay attention to the details, but can enjoy the experience either way. This is the kind of film that reminds us how fun Hollywood and the movies can be. 8/10.